Cambridgeshire Community Foundation has received an additional £24,800 to help young people who have experienced care, announced today by UK Community Foundations.
The Care Leavers Programme is a multi-year programme providing support for care leavers to survive and thrive as they transition to adulthood.
It was launched in 2024 by the Local Authorities' Mutual Investment Trust (LAMIT) and UK Community Foundations (UKCF), in collaboration with investment manager CCLA.
From university bursaries and driving lessons to home equipment and career coaching, the programme is supporting care leavers to take their next steps.
In its first year, Cambridgeshire Community Foundation was among 17 participating community foundations from UKCF to have supported more than 2,000 care leavers aged between 16 and 25 years old, by funding 59 organisations and 411 individuals directly.
A new donation of £1.7 million over three years by the Henry Smith Foundation, announced today, will expand the programme out to 14 new areas in the UK, now including Northern Ireland and Wales. This expansion will bring the total programme value to £7 million, including matched funds, significantly increasing reach, impact and length of delivery.
Anand Shukla, Chief Executive at Henry Smith Foundation, said:
“We’re delighted to fund the expansion of the Care Leaver Programme across the UK. This work is important and ambitious – bringing together community foundations, local authorities and the Henry Smith Foundation. Together, we’ll increase critical support for both care leavers and the charitable organisations supporting them as they navigate their way into adulthood.”
In addition to reaching new areas, the expansion of the fund is extending existing projects in Cambridgeshire. A new report, published today by UKCF, shows the reach that the Care Leavers Programme has had already.
Emma de Closset, Chief Executive at UK Community Foundations, said:
“The Care Leavers Programme has already demonstrated the power of local partnerships to create real, lasting change for care-experienced young people. We have seen the impact of this programme in its first year, and we are delighted to expand it further with the support of the Henry Smith Foundation.
“The next phase represents a fantastic opportunity for more local and national partner organisations to help build a fairer start for young people leaving care, ensuring they have the support that every young person deserves.”
Support from Cambridgeshire Community Foundation has already been awarded to:
- Nene Valley Care Trust - To deliver one to one support, group activities and life skills training for 10 young care leavers.
- Break - Towards delivery of a 3-stage employment pathway project called ‘Passport to Work’ for circa 25 young care leavers.
- Peterborough City Council - To fund short courses and training opportunities for around 20 young care leavers, as part of their pathway towards either employment or continued education.
- Cambridgeshire County Council - To provide a one-year hardship fund for care leavers to pay for non-statutory support, such as travel bursaries or housing costs, where these are not covered by other sources.
Michael O'Toole, CEO at Cambridgeshire Community Foundation, commented:
“This programme is providing vital funding to ensure care leavers are not being held back by lack of access to opportunities. Thanks to this expanded funding, we can continue strengthening the support available to help these young people move into adulthood with confidence and reach their full potential.”
One of the aims of the Care Leavers Programme is to help strengthen partnerships between local authorities and care leaver support networks around the UK.
Cllr Richard Kemp CBE, former Lord Mayor of Liverpool and Chair of LAMIT, commented:
“Public sector organisations and especially councils are struggling to cope with a tsunami in the number of young people in the care system and the complexities of their problems. That is why I am proud of the leadership role we played at LAMIT in establishing this fund in partnership with local councils and UKCF.
“I am absolutely delighted that the Henry Smith Foundation is helping us to take this work to new areas and for longer periods. By doing so they are helping shape young lives at a crucial point. They are helping prove that those in care are not problem youngsters, but youngsters with a problem. Help deal with those problems and they can be as successful as any other person and a credit to themselves and our society.”
Andrew Robinson MBE, Director Market Development at CCLA, commented:
“The privilege of having a history as long as CCLA’s is that we have a huge network of churches, charities and local authorities whose community-oriented missions are aligned. Being able to bring together those connections into meaningful partnerships for change is deeply rewarding and hearing the stories of communities supporting bright, care-experienced young people to realise their potential makes one realise it’s about much more than money.”
Cambridgeshire Community Foundation urgently seeks match funding to double the impact of the Care Leavers Programme. Matching £24,800 will unlock nearly £50,000 to provide vital support for care-experienced young people in Cambridgeshire. If you can help make this happen, please email [email protected]
